How the Eagles can Beat the 49ers in the Playoffs

The highest anticipated matchup of the NFL season ended with a truly shocking ass kicking.

The San Francisco 49ers got their revenge for their disappointing NFC Championship game appearance a year ago by returning to Philadelphia, exposing the Eagles as an inferior opponent 42-19.

Last year, the 49ers title hopes were eviscerated midway through the first quarter when Haasan Reddick hit Brock Purdy’s elbow, tearing his UCL ligament. In the second half, backup Josh Johnson, who was the 49ers 4th quarterback of the season, got concussed leaving San Francisco with literally no quarterback who could throw a forward pass in one of the most bizarre playoff games in recent memory.

Offseason griping from both fan bases seesawed from 49ers fans complaining they never were given a fighting chance in the game to the Eagles fans arguing that they would have blown out the 49ers regardless on route to the Super Bowl.

After having -6 yards of offense in one of the worst starts that Kyle Shanahan has had as a head coach, the 49ers dominated the rest of the game.

Deebo Samuel, donning black Air Force 1 cleats to represent the gangster like brutality in which he would exert to the Eagles on their home field, stood on business backing his controversial offseason comments with his play. 116 yards on just four receptions, adding 22 yards on the ground, capped off by three touchdowns.

The defense, Hurts, AJ Brown, not even Big Dom getting 49ers star linebacker Dre Greenlaw ejected couldn’t get Philly back into the game. San Francisco toyed with their food, bullying a tired Eagles team so badly the home crowd boo’d them off the field after the first half.

The expectations for an NFC Championship rematch were these two teams would go down to the wire in a close playoff type football game. Instead, it turned into a humiliating loss for the home team.

Even after such an ass kicking, the 49ers and Eagles are the two best teams in the NFC. The NFC Championship, barring injury or disaster, should be a rematch between Philly and San Francisco. Here is how the Eagles can make a rematch much more competitive:

Make the 49ers kick

Do what your opponent did to you: make them kick. The 49ers scored six times against the Eagles. Six touchdowns in a row. That cannot happen.

To beat the 49ers, you have to keep them out of the end zone whenever possible. If they are scoring touchdowns, catching up to them against their defense that is 2nd in the NFL giving up 15.8 points per game isn’t a realistic path to victory. Making them kick makes the Eagles comeback they’ve become so accustomed to much more obtainable.

More importantly, Jake Moody is a rookie kicker. The only big time kick he’s lined up for in the infancy of his career was a game winner in Cleveland. He missed, which is why the 49ers aren’t the number one seed in the NFC today. Putting the pressure on a rookie kicker who hasn’t proved he has a clutch gene yet could be the most important path to the Eagles beating a San Francisco offense that looks invincible right now.

Establish the run

D’Andre Swift ended the game with six carries. SIX. Jalen Hurts led the team with seven. One dimensional offense against the 49ers is suicide, as it is against any elite defense. The Eagles offense is built on the run, whether they run the inevitable Brotherly Shove play that got them their only touchdown versus San Francisco, or a designed run by Hurts or Swift, the Eagles need an established run game to win.

No one can expect to win with a happy approach against a defense top-five in takeaways with the highest paid defensive line that just added Chase Young at the deadline. The Eagles were frankly lucky San Francisco didn’t record a turnover with how lopsided their offensive strategy was. Philly need to balance their play calls better, which will give them more opportunity to strike on the big plays they are capable of.

Tackle

I understand the Eagles are dealing with injury and had less rest going into the game, but tackling was an issue. On Deebo’s second score, which had an improbable 0.1% chance of becoming a touchdown when he caught the ball, he broke a tackle and ran right up the middle for a 48-yard score that felt like a dagger. Jauan Jennings broke a tackle on his touchdown, which absolutely should not have happened if you ask anyone on the Philly defense. Look at the tape and you’ll find more broken tackles. The 49ers offense is at the top of the league, so giving them extra yards is just killing any chance to win.

Put More Pressure on Purdy

Brock Purdy is a stud. He is an incredibly accurate passer that fits the glass slipper of Shanahan’s offense like Cinderella. He is the best in the NFL in pass rating, completion percentage, touchdowns per attempt, yards per attempt, and yards per completion. But with every rose there is a thorn. Purdy occasionally is prone to a turnover.

The Eagles boast a defensive line that came two sacks short of the record for most in a season last year. With a banged up secondary and linebackers that just aren’t on the same level as San Francisco, the Eagles need their defensive line to dominate in order for them to win.

Aside from future hall of fame tackle Trent Williams, San Francisco has a pedestrian offensive line that can be beat especially in the pass game. Philly needs to pin their ears back and beat their assignments, swallowing Purdy before he recognizes the right place to throw the ball and quickly moves the ball down field. The Eagles need a big part of their identity to carry the team if these two play again, or another blow out is on the horizon.

The Eagles were short on rest on this matchup, but they can get a leg up themselves if they win out to claim the top seed in the NFC. Having a bye can be the difference in playing in the Super Bowl and watching on the couch.

The Eagles feel like they need the bye so they force the 49ers to play an extra game, a team who has had a history of injuries at the hands of their physical style of play that can beat them up too much. The NFL world is waiting to see if this is finally the year Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers can win it all, or if the Eagles have a counter punch that will help them get back to their second consecutive Super Bowl.